1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer having an inkjet recording head which discharges an ink and a carrying mechanism which carries a recording medium, and specifically relates to a jam processing apparatus for a printer in which an operation of removing a recording medium jammed between an inkjet recording head and a carrying mechanism has been improved, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inkjet recording apparatuses are generally classified into serial mode types and line mode types in accordance with a recording mode of recording an image on a recording medium such as a recording paper sheet. In the serial mode type, an inkjet recording head which discharges an ink is mounted on a carriage, and a recording medium is carried by a carrying mechanism. The carriage scans in a width direction of the recording medium in synchronization with carriage of the recording medium by the carrying mechanism. The inkjet recording head discharges the ink simultaneously with scanning by the carriage. As a result, recording is performed on the recording medium.
In the line mode type, a plurality of inkjet recording heads are arranged in a width direction of a recording medium to be carried, and the recording medium is carried by a carrying mechanism. Each inkjet recording head discharges an ink in synchronization with carriage of the recording medium. As a result, recording is carried out on the recording medium. In the line mode, likewise, the plurality of inkjet recording heads are mounted on a carriage, and the carriage scans in the width direction of the recording medium in synchronization with carriage of the recording medium, thereby increasing a speed of a recording operation.
In an inkjet recording apparatus adopting the line mode, a plurality of inkjet recording heads are fixed and arranged, and a recording medium is passed below each inkjet recording head to perform a recording operation. In such a recording apparatus, the recording medium may jam between each inkjet recording head and the carrying mechanism (which will be referred to as a jam hereinafter) during a recording operation on the recording medium in some cases.
When a jam occurs, the inkjet recording apparatus interrupts a recording operation. The inkjet recording apparatus then separates each inkjet recording head from the carrying mechanism. As a result, the recording medium which has generated the jam is automatically or manually removed.